Alabama Gang: Tom Roberts, with 914 races and counting, is dean of circuit's PR people

"(Hornish) is a champion driver and he's a gentleman and a great family man. He's such a good guy to work with."

TALLADEGA, Alabama -- When Tom Roberts was finishing his education at the University of Alabama -- for which he proudly remains a football season-ticket holder -- he had enough photo and graphics skills to create a brochure to sell himself, rather than a typical resume.

Tom Roberts, right, with driver Kurt Busch had VIP tour of Alabama's locker room last football season (Special photo)

Resting in a pose akin to "The Thinker" statue, Roberts made an offer to potential employers: "Allow me the opportunity to help you."

"To think back about it, it was kinda corny," he admitted.

For 914 of the last 915 NASCAR Sprint Cup-level races -- he broke a streak at 539 when his mother was hospitalized -- Roberts has been taken up on that opportunity.

He is the dean of NASCAR's team public relations representatives, working now with Sam Hornish and the No. 22 Penske Dodge and working with the media and sponsors in an ever-evolving world.

"The secret," he said of surviving the grind of NASCAR, "is living in Guntersville."

Despite travel hassles with long drives to the airport and few direct flights, he can return to the lakefront home he shares with wife Joanie, maybe even escape for a while on his boat, free from the 24/7 racing life in the Charlotte area.

After graduating from Alabama, Roberts wanted to be in pro sports public relations, but NFL teams chose to pass on the opportunity. So did NBA teams.

Roberts had gone to a lot of races with his father Hubert, mostly the short tracks in Birmingham and Huntsville. His dad "was a huge Bobby Allison" fan.

So Roberts sent the brochure to what was then Atlanta International Raceway, and PR man Bobby Batson hired him virtually on the spot.

He worked at the speedways at Atlanta and Nashville before Miller's racing program asked him to become the PR man for Allison.

"My dad passed away less than two months after graduation. So there was a sadness there I never had a chance to get him to a race and give him an insiders' view," Roberts said. "But it was so heartwarming that I could roam around with his racing hero."

He was with Allison when Bobby had his near-fatal wreck at Pocono, then worked alongside Mike Alexander, Dick Trickle and, in 1990, the defending series champ, Rusty Wallace. He also handled PR for Alan Kulwicki after his championship season.

Upon Wallace's retirement, Roberts worked with Kurt Busch as he moved into the Miller car. He remains close to Busch, who'd occasionally lease a helicopter to wisk himself and Roberts to other sporting events -- Cubs games at Wrigley Field, Alabama football games, a Notre Dame game -- during free time on race weekends.

Tom Roberts

Roberts worked with AJ Allmendinger this year until the driver was suspended for violation of the NASCAR drug policy and replaced by Hornish.

"I've really enjoyed working with Sam," Roberts said. "He's a champion driver and he's a gentleman and a great family man. He's such a good guy to work with."

Roberts paused for a moment and added, "You know, I've loved every driver I've worked with. That's one of the key things. It's sort of a credo I've lived by in that everybody I've worked with, I've put my heart into it. It's not such a business association. They're true friends."